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Thursday, June 9, 2016

Fixing IPhone/IPad Lightening Cables

I do many things on the road including fixing things as much as I can to keep costs down. I don't carry a lot of tools but do bring tools for fixing wiring terminals, along with a small soft sided tool bag that I keep in the trunk.

I have an IPhone and a IPad that I use with USB lighting charging cables. I also have a variety of other 12 volt USB cables.

I power my iPhone during the day through a 3- hole cigarette adapter with multi USB charging ports. This gets plugged into stock Prius outlet in the front center console area.

As I drive I plug my IPad to my Prius 12 Volt battery panel I made to a dual USB charger in the back.

I plug my devices in every day and the Apple Lightening Cable end to the device wears and insulation breaks and since it is not strain relieved the insulation breaks and pulling is hard to do on just the small connector.

To extend the life of my cables I add shrink wrap to the end that plugs into my apple devices. I buy a variety size pack of shrink wrap from Amazon.

The shrink wrap that comes is not a perfect fit so I stretch it some to fit over the connector.

I stretch the shrink wrap with needle nose pliers just so it fits over.

I stretched this piece by about 1/8".

I then place the shrink wrap over the connector and use the butane torch I bring on my trip to shrink the wrap and make a stronger cable when inserting and removing the lighting cable.

Note: The butane mini torch has many purposes including being a match to even start a campfire. Since I use a butane stove I have butane to refuel the torch as needed.

In the evening my iPhone and IPad are fully charged and use my house battery bank to power my Engel compressor fridge along with my USB powered fan when needed. (See separate post on my house battery system.)

Even though I live in my Prius when I travel, it is possible to carry a few tools and not have to spend money buying new cables when you can keep usable a little longer.

About Me

I retired from as
Fire Chief and Emergency Management Director for the Town of Westminster in
2014.Growing up I became an on-call
firefighter and continued in the Fire Department while I kept a full-time
career in high tech, eventually becoming the full-time Fire Chief in 1998, with
the downturn in the tech sector.

I have been
fortunate to have had many wonderful experiences working in the private sector
before my full-time employment before becoming Fire Chief/EMD. This
included being an Electronic Technician, and Manufacturing engineer for Bowmar/ALI,
Inc. Leominster/Acton MA, National Service Manager for Bruel and Kjaer
Instruments, Inc., Marlborough, MA, and Engineering Coordinator,
Manufacturing Project Manager, Group Manager, and Program Manager for Digital
Equipment Corporation/Compaq Computer Corporation, various locations in MA&
NH.

I continue to
teach Fire Science Degree Programs at Mount Wachusett Community College,
Gardner, MA, where I have been an Adjunct Professor since 2000.

I have received
degrees at the following institutions:

Lesley College; Masters of
Science in Management, January 1984

Fitchburg State College; Bachelor of Science in History, June 1979

Mount
Wachusett Community College; Associate in Electronic Engineering, June 1977.